A dark character study that examines the implications of inner city living, post traumatic stress disorder, and dangerous loyalties, 'Harsh Times' is a staggeringly good film that is sure to elevate the viewer's pulse from the first to final scene. Released in 2006 and starring Christian Bale and Freddy Rodriguez, this film finds screenwriter David Ayer returning to the formula which made his previous screenplay 'Training Day' such a critical success. The chief difference between these two films, however, is that Ayer directed 'Harsh Times', marking his directorial debut. While this did not necessarily take away from the film, one cannot help but wonder about what could have been, had a more experienced director been at the helm of this picture.
The movie centers on the exploits of Jim Davis and his friend Mike Alonzo, played by Christian Bale and Freddy Rodriguez, respectively. Jim is a former Army Ranger who battles post traumatic stress disorder as a result of his service in Afghanistan. His life is centered around becoming a police officer with the LAPD, so that he can marry his girlfriend in Mexico, and bring her back to Los Angeles with him. Mike, on the other hand, is a seemingly aimless, unemployed 26 year old, who is in a long term relationship with his lawyer girlfriend, played by the shrewish Eva Longoria.
The entire movie takes place over the span of 2 days, as Jim drives Mike around to look for a job, at the insistence of Mike's girlfriend. What ensues is not the typical job search, but rather a series of inner-city adventures that take Jim and Mike from Northeast Los Angeles to Tijuana and back. During their purported job search, they engage in a series of criminal activities, which are both gripping and entertaining to watch, with a finale that is truly surprising.
The pace of 'Harsh Times' can only be described as deceptive. There are quite a few scenes in which Jim and Mike are driving, which on paper would seem to slow the plot down significantly. These scenes, however, are what truly move the film forward, and without these dialogue-heavy scenes, we would not understand the true friendship and bond between Jim and Mike, which is crucial to the emotional finale of the film. This seems to be the pattern for the movie, as it goes seamlessly from dialogue to action again and again.
I give 'Harsh Times' a 10 out of 10. The acting is brilliantly done by all parties involved, including the minor characters, and the dialogue seems to roll off the tongues of all the actors involved. My only lament about the film was the dialect used by Christian Bale. In keeping with his LA street smart character, he often falls into a Latino gangster accent, which at times seems forced, and is a bit incongruous, given his fair complexion. Aside from this, I found 'Harsh Times' to be the best film that I had never really heard about. It is far too often overlooked, which is simply a shame, as I found it to be technically perfect in regards to it's style, writing, dialogue, and action. It is a suspenseful drama that works on numerous levels.
Perhaps the best reason to watch 'Harsh Times' is it's portrayal of Los Angeles. While 'Training Day' showed an over the top LA, 'Harsh Times' presents it in a more realistic manner, from the point of view of a couple of friends who are having trouble making their way through life. The gritty feel of Los Angeles is felt not only in the wonderful cinematography of the film, but also in the feeling of despair that exudes from Jim and Mike as they look for jobs and find nothing but trouble. At it's core, LA can be a tough city, and 'Harsh Times' shows us just how difficult it can be. The last thing I will say about 'Harsh Times' is this: it's tough, it's real, and it's unpretentious, just like LA.
Were it not for these driving scenes, we would not get to really know the characters of Jim and Mike. They are crucial elements of Ayer's epic screenwriting and directing.
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